NEW YORK – January 15, 2009 – FD today announced the acquisition of The Element Agency, a leading Canadian strategic communications consultancy specializing in sustainability, issue advocacy, and corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives.
Established in 2003, Element serves businesses, governments, universities, non-governmental organizations and political candidates across North America. The Agency has won multiple awards for the pioneering use of online video in issue advocacy.
FD Element (as the company will be known) advises a diverse client base that includes global and Canadian brands such AIG, EPCOR, Labatt and MGM MIRAGE, as well as NGOs such as the Canadian Boreal Initiative, the League of Conservation Voters and the David Suzuki Foundation. The firm also provides counsel to leading political campaigns, including the Ontario Liberal Party, and public officials, including Vancouver’s newly-elected mayor, Gregor Robertson.
Consistent with FD’s mission, FD Element is dedicated to helping clients solve business challenges, build reputations with key stakeholders and help corporate clients understand how communications can drive and protect the value of their organizations.
Ed Reilly, CEO of FD Americas said, “The addition of FD Element serves as a valuable extension of FD’s footprint into Canada, strengthening our presence throughout the Americas. We have worked closely with Don Millar, Grant Draper and their experienced team for years, and now look forward to formally leveraging their vast expertise for clients across the Americas and network-wide.”
“We are honored to join one of the most admired communications consultancies in the world,” said Grant Draper, President of FD Element. “Our approach to corporate sustainability initiatives is consistent with the kind of forward-looking thought leadership FD offers to its clients.”
“Joining the FD international network will allow us to take our creative and strategic issue advocacy services to the next level,” said FD Element CEO Don Millar. “More corporations than ever understand the business case for sustainability and we look forward to expanding our offering around the world.”
About FD:
One of the world’s most highly regarded consultancies in the communications industry, FD employs more than 730 staff and advises more than 1,000 clients worldwide through its hub offices in London and New York, as well as its network of wholly-owned offices in Bahrain, Beijing, Bogota, Boston, Brussels, Cape Town, Chicago, Dubai, Dublin, Frankfurt, Hong Kong, Johannesburg, Los Angeles, Manchester, Moscow, Paris, Panama City, Perth, San Francisco, Shanghai, Singapore, Washington, D.C. and Vancouver. With more than 20 years’ experience of advising clients in both the private and public sectors, FD’s services include financial public relations, investor relations, public affairs, crisis and issues management and corporate, business-to-business and business-to-consumer communications. FD is also a market leader in M&A advisory work around the world. FD is structured around specialist sector teams operating on an international basis, covering consumer & retail industries; energy & natural resources; financial services; basic industries; business services; life sciences & healthcare; real estate; technology, media and telecommunications; and travel & transport. FD is a unit of FTI Consulting, a global business advisory firm dedicated to helping organizations protect and enhance enterprise value. For more information, please visit: www.fd.com.